Photo courtesy National Library of Medicine Muscles of the human body

Muscles are one of those things that most of us take completely for granted, but they are incredibly important for two key reasons:

• Muscles are the "engine" that your body uses to propel itself. Although they work differently than a car engine or an electric motor, muscles do the same thing -- they turn energy into motion.
• It would be impossible for you to do anything without your muscles. Absolutely everything that you conceive of with your brain is expressed as muscular motion. The only ways for you to express an idea are with the muscles of your larynx, mouth and tongue (spoken words), with the muscles of your fingers (written words or "talking with your hands") or with the skeletal muscles (body language, dancing, running, building or fighting, to name a few).

In this article, we will look at the different types of muscles in your body and the amazing technology that allows them to work so well.

	Exercise doesn't have to be work. Yoga is a fun way to increase flexibility, build muscles, and learn relaxation techniques. Find out more.